** last photo is unedited comments from excellent local luthier who evaluated guitar

This 1970/71 Fender Competition Mustang in great condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case (which is in less good condition. Finished in Competition "Burgundy" (Lake Placid Blue with racing stripe), this Mustang has been taken care of well over the past half century. If you look at the headstock closely, Tuners appear to have been removed and replaced at some point and then re-installed. Comes with original hardshell case and tremolo bar.

Smooth and clear-sounding acoustically, this Mustang is authoritative and snappy. The bridge pickup has plenty of jangle and sparkling cut, while the neck pickup has more warmth and sweetness, retaining a defined overall character. One of the most fun sounds on the Mustang is the out-of-phase setting, engaged when both on/off/on pickup selector switches are at their innermost or outermost points for a distinctive quack and spank.

These guitars are highly desirable because of the association with Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, but the Vintage Fender Competition Finish Mustang set a new precedent for the world of electric guitars at the time of its introduction by combining the timeless cool of classic cars with a design aimed at the younger crowd. Smaller than its predecessors like the Jazzmaster, the Mustang was a heavyweight in the student-priced realm and offered a playing experience that's been coveted for years thanks to the pair of single-coils and iconic offset design. Technically, The last guitar Leo Fender designed while at his titular company, the slick racing stripe has been found in the rigs of David Byrne, PJ Harvey, and Thurston Moore.